Moving to LA and Buying a Home: A 90-Day Checklist

This is the plan I'd hand a friend who's moving to Los Angeles and buying a home. It runs from the first budget conversation to the property tax bills that show up months after you get the keys. Print it, check things off, and skip whatever doesn't apply to you.

The deadlines below were checked against the DMV, the LA County Assessor and the state Board of Equalization in October 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Rules change, so verify anything that matters with the agency, a CPA, an attorney or a licensed insurance broker.

Before you start

• Set a monthly number, not just a price. In LA the payment includes property taxes of roughly 1.1% to 1.3% of the price, insurance, utilities and sometimes HOA dues or Mello-Roos. Our cost of living guide has an example budget you can copy.
• Get pre-approved with a lender who closes LA purchases often. Ask about the loan limits for LA County and how long the approval letter is good for. Cash buyers: have a recent proof of funds letter ready.
• Plan where your down payment is coming from and when it needs to land. Moving money out of investments or across borders can take longer than the escrow itself.
• Pick two or three parts of LA to start. The neighborhood guides cover homes, prices and the drive to Downtown, Century City and the beach. The home prices table puts every area's median side by side.
• Check which city you'd be living in. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Pasadena and Burbank are their own cities, with their own rules, utilities and services. See LA's incorporated cities.
• Decide whether to rent first. A short lease lets you try the commute before you buy. Buying right away means one move instead of two. Rent vs buy in LA lays out the math.
• Buying from out of town? Almost all of it can happen by video and e-signature. Here's how buying from anywhere works.

90 days out

• Lock in your target areas and price range, and start watching what sells, not just what's listed.
• Start live video tours, or plan a trip with a few days of back-to-back showings.
• Line up your e-signing and a scanner app on your phone, so you can sign an offer the same day.
• If you own a home now, talk to a lender about timing: selling first, buying first, or a bridge loan.
• Ask your employer about relocation benefits and what they cover (closing costs, movers, temporary housing).

60 days out

• Refresh your pre-approval so the letter is current when you write an offer.
• Ask for disclosures before you offer when you can. Many LA listing agents share a disclosure package up front, including the Natural Hazard Disclosure report.
• Get a rough homeowners insurance quote on any house you're serious about. Prices vary a lot by address in California.
• Get quotes from two or three long-distance movers, and ask how they handle hillside streets and tight parking.

30 days out (or once you're in contract)

• Wire your deposit on time. On the standard California purchase contract, the deposit is due within 3 business days of acceptance. Confirm wiring instructions by phone with your escrow officer at a number you already have, never from an email alone.
• Book inspections right away. The standard California Association of Realtors contract sets the investigation, loan and appraisal contingencies at 17 days unless you negotiate different terms. In LA that often means a general inspection plus sewer line, roof and chimney, and sometimes foundation, pool or a geology review on a hillside lot.
• Read every disclosure. Seller disclosures, the Natural Hazard Disclosure, HOA documents for a condo, and permits for any additions. I'll go through them with you on a call.
• Bind insurance early. Your lender needs proof of a homeowners policy before closing, and getting the specific house quoted before contingencies end matters in California right now. Ask about earthquake coverage too, which is a separate policy.
• Look up the property tax bill. Check the current assessed value and special assessments, and run the county's supplemental tax estimator so the supplemental bill isn't a surprise.
• Find out who serves the address. Electricity and water depend on the city (more on that below). Schedule internet installation early, since appointments can book out.
• Remove contingencies only when you're ready, in writing.

Moving week

• Do a final look at the house before closing to confirm its condition and any agreed repairs, with receipts.
• Sign closing documents. If you're still out of state, a mobile notary can come to you.
• Wire the rest of your funds, again confirming instructions by phone.
• Start electricity, water, gas, trash and internet in your name for the day you take possession.
• Change your mailing address with USPS and your banks.
• Keep the closing statement and the final settlement papers in one folder. You'll want them at tax time.

Your first 30 days in LA

• California driver's license: within 10 days. Vehicle Code section 12505 lets a new resident drive on an out-of-state license for no more than 10 days after establishing residency. Book a DMV appointment as soon as you have a move-in date. If you plan to fly domestically on your license, ask for a REAL ID, which has a bear and a star in the upper right corner.
• Vehicle registration: within 20 days. The DMV's new resident page says an out-of-state vehicle must be registered within 20 days of becoming a resident or bringing it into California. Plan on an in-person visit, since the DMV inspects the vehicle, and check whether yours needs a smog certificate.
• Update your car insurance to a California policy at your new address.
• Register to vote at registertovote.ca.gov. The Secretary of State sets the regular deadline at 15 days before an election, with same-day registration at county offices after that.
• Confirm your utilities. Most of the City of Los Angeles gets electricity and water from LADWP, and you can start service online. Many other cities, such as Santa Monica, Culver City and Beverly Hills, get electricity from Southern California Edison, with water from the city or a local water company. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena run their own municipal utilities. Natural gas in most of the area comes from SoCalGas.
• Find your trash day and the city's bin rules. In the City of LA, LA Sanitation handles single-family homes. Other cities run their own service.

Your first year: property taxes

• Watch for the homeowners' exemption form. The LA County Assessor mails new owners a claim form about 3 to 4 months after the deed records. The exemption takes $7,000 off the assessed value of your primary residence, about $70 a year. File by February 15 for the full exemption that year, per the Board of Equalization.
• Expect a supplemental tax bill. The Assessor says it arrives about 6 months after purchase, mailed by the Treasurer and Tax Collector. It's based on the difference between the old assessed value and your new one, prorated for the rest of the fiscal year, and it's generally not paid through your mortgage impound account. You may get one or two, depending on when you close.
• Know the annual calendar. Annual bills are mailed by November 1. The first installment is late if not paid by December 10 and the second by April 10. The Assessor notes you're responsible for paying whether or not a bill reaches you, so check online if one hasn't arrived.
• Talk to a CPA about your first California tax return, especially if you moved partway through the year.

Keep this list handy

If you'd like a hand with any of it, from the first tour to finding out who picks up the trash on your street, tell me where you are in the move and what you're looking for. I'm happy to help.